Tricycle.



' vPA'FSNTBD JULY 31, 1906.-

G. A. LARSON. TRICYCLE.

AP PLIOATION FILED APILZ?, 1905.

No.y 827,243.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEioE. l

GUSTAE A. LARsoN, or SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.v

' 'rF-i'loYcL-E.

the rider,and has more particular referenceg to driving mechanismthereof, the primary object being to improve and simplify the.

'-same. Y

A further lobject is'to provide an improved form of drivin@y mechanismvwhich can be 'readily adniSt'ed to increase or decrease the speed ofthedriving-wheels.

With the above andk other objects in view,

. `as 'set forth int-lie following, the'invention consists in theconstruction and arrangement of( parts, as hereinafterreferred to, andsuccinctly pointed out in the appended. claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals of referenceindicate like partsthroughout the several views, Figure 1. is a` view inside elevation of my invention, one of the driving-wheels thereof beingremoved. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof, parts being removed.. Fig.3' is a view partly in top plan and partly in horizontal section, takenon line 3 3 of Fig. 1 and Fi 4 is a, detail side view of the bearing,parts being broken away.

In carrying out myinvention I construct a Lframe comprising the sidebars 1, the forward portions of which are inclined upwardly inconverging relation and terminate in a socket 2, upper bars 3, and stays4. These upper bars3 project between the forward portions of the sidebars 1. and are secured thereto in any desired manner, a convenientmeans, however, consisting of rivets, as shown. The

. forward ends of thesebars3 terminate in a sleeve 5, which, togetherwith socket 2, forms a support for the head G of the fork 7, in whichthe steering-wheel is mounted.

The stays 4 are suitably supported on driven shaft 8, which has thedrive-wheels 9 fixed thereto, and have the rear ends of bars 3 securedthereto. (See Fig. 2.)v

Reference-numeral 1.0 indicates the seatpost, to which seat 11 issecured, and this ost is yieldingly supported in the upper en s of stays4 by a spring 12, which bears on the web 13 and against a in arranged insaid: post at a point above sai web. Loosely mounted on' the saidseat-post is a handle 14, the same be- .Specification of Letters Patent.Application filed April 27, 130B. 'Serial No'. 257,755.

fing rigidly secured to gear 18.

Patented J' uly 31, 19.016.

i ing connected'by rods 15 toa pairof arms 16, which project fromopposite sides of head 6. By this construction it will be obvious thatthe cyclist can readily grasp either end of handle 14 and by swingingthe same alter the osition of the front or steering wheel, and t ynscontrol the direction of movement of the vehicle.

The driving mechanism comprises large.

and small gears 17 and 1.8, which are provided with sleeves 17 and 18,respectively, and mounted on shaft v8. vIn thesesle'eves l'a'rrangeset-screws 19, through the'medium of which the respective gear-wheelscan be alternately made fast and loose on said shaft. Meshing withgear-wheels 17 and 18 'are large and small gear-wheels 2() and 21,the'former meshing with gear 17 and being of such a'diameter-as torotate shaft 8 at high speed when gear 17` is fixed thereto, and gear 21meshes `with gear 18 and being of a v'comparatively v small diameterwill obviously rotate shaft8 at a low rate of 'speed when said gear 18is fixed to said shaft. y. These gearsv 20 andA '21 are mounted on ashaft 22, journaled in saidlbars 1 and arranged between the same is aratchetwheel 23. Avratchet-wheel 24 is also arranged between gears 1.7Aand 18, the same be- Coperating with these ratchet-wheels are pawls 26and 27, the same being pivoted on arms 28, pivoted to the respectiveshafts 8A and22, respectively, and these arms are connected by links 29and 30 to an operating-handle 31, secured to a cross-shaft 32, journaledin the side bars 1 of the frame. This handle projects between the upperbars 3, and is thereby guided during its swinging movem ent.

In operation if, for example, the cyclist desires the low gear set-screw19 in sleeve 17 is released from enga ement with shaft 8, so as to allowgear-wheegl pawls 26 and 27 will alternately opegatively 17 to be freeor loose. Therefore, as ,the handle 31 is oscillated,

IOO

enga e the teeth of the respective ratchetwhee s 24 and 23 and powerwill be transmit- .ted to shaft 8 through gears 21 and 18. Should,however, the high gearing be desired, set-screw 19 of sleeveI 18 isreleased, thereby allowing gear 18 to be loosened and gear 17 is thenmade fast to the shaft. Therefore, when handle- 31 is operated,powerwill be transmitted to shaft 8 through gears 20 and 17.

A suitable brake mechanism embodies a lever 33, which has an angularfoot part' and is pivoted to one of the side bars 1, and a band 34passes around shaft 22 and has one of its ends secured to a fixed partand the other to lever 33 at a point above its pivotal connection. Bythis construction it will be observed that a slight forward movement oflever 33 will cause the band 34 to impinge tightly on shaft 22, andthereby eifect a raking action.

y my improvement the operating-handle for the propelling mechanism, thehandle for the steering means, and lever 33 of the brake mechanism arearranged in such relation relatively to seat 1l that they can be allreadily operated by the cyclist without causing im any inconvenience. Itwill further be observed Vthat by providing two ratchetwheels 23 and 24,the same having their teeth in opposed relation, I am enabled totransmit a propelling force to shaft 8 when handle 3l is operated orswung in both forward and rearward directions.

In the foregoing I have described an improvement which embodies butcomparatively few parts which are not liable to get out of order andwhich are simple in construction and comparatively inexpensive tomanufacture. I am aware, however, that the details of construction canbe readily altered, and I therefore reserve the right to make suchalterations and changes as fall within the scope of the claims.

To prevent gears 17 and 1S from sliding longitudinally on shaft 8, Iprovide suitable collars 35, which are preferably secured to said shaftby set-screws, as shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States of America, is`

AIl. In a machine of the type set forth, a pair of shafts arranged onein front of the other, ratchet-wheels arranged on said shafts, theratchet-wheel on one shaft having its teeth arranged in a mannerreversed to that of the teeth of the other ratchet-wheel, arms mountedon said shafts and provided with pawls engaging said ratchet-wheels, alink connecting said arms, means for swinging said arms, and means fortransmitting motion from one shaft to the other.

2. In a machine of the type set forth, a pair of shafts, differentialgearing consisting of a plurality of gears secured to each shaft, thegears on one shaft being adapted to be made alternately loose and fasttherewith and meshing with the gears on the other shaft, ratchet-wheelsmounted on the res ective shafts, swing-arms loosely mounted) on saidshafts and carrying pawls for engagement with said ratchet-wheels, andmeans for swinging said arms in unison.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GUSTAF A. LARSON. Witnesses:

JOHN W. FILKINsj C. W. JoHNs'roN.

